Kitten Love
by Phoenix of Starlight
Summary: Hibari awakens one day to discover he's become a cat! And if that wasn't bad enough on its own, the only person who can help him is an illusionist. Primarily 6918, 1826
1. Shocking Discovery

**Kitten Love**

**Chapter 1**

6918, 1826

Hibari's eyes opened slowly, as if his eyelids were weighed down by an unseen force. He stood, and stretched, then paused, feeling odd. Since when was the ceiling so high up? And had he suddenly gone colorblind? More importantly, why was his back end so... flexible? Hibari snorted, and moved on towards the door, only to find that it was much taller than normal. As he reached open to slide the door open, however, he discovered just what was wrong. Reaching out his hand revealed to him the fact that he no longer had a human hand... but a paw. A cat's paw. As in, a fur-covered, black paw, and no thumbs to be seen.

Stunned, the prefect sat down, and lifted both of his no-longer hands, gazing at the pads, and flexing his front toes to reveal the hidden claws. "Damn!" he cursed, but the only thing that left his mouth was a meow. "What the hell?" He flipped onto his back, and groaned as he saw the fluffy, white fur coating his stomach. "This is insane," he hissed. "I'm going bite whoever did this to death."

He pawed angrily at the door, and, after many failed attempts, reluctantly clawed down the shouji paper, making a hole just big enough for him to squeeze through. As he stepped out into the bright outside, he groaned, reaching up and covering his deep, gray eyes with his jet-black left paw. To his relief, however, his pupils quickly shrunk down to snake-like slits, and he started off towards Namimori. As he walked along, he was amused by the many different scents on the air, and as he headed forward, he suddenly smelled something that made his mouth water. The prefect stopped dead in his tracks and looked behind him, then gasped as a bird landed right in front of him. _Such an easy catch_, he thought, _how perfect..._

"Hibari, Hibari!"

The cat paused, then sat down, and instinctively cocked his head. Realization washed over him as he looked into the bird's beady, black eyes, though, and he purred quietly. "Hibird?" he meowed. "You... recognize me...?"

_"Midori, tanamiku, Namimori no~,"_ Hibird sang, fluttering his wings._ "Dainaku shounaku, nami ga ii~!"_

Acting on another impulse, Hibari came in and rasped his tongue over the bird's head, showing it that he was grateful for the company. However, Hibari soon stopped, for the song had reminded him that he needed to go over to Namimori and contact the baby. He turned, and started at a run, amazed by the speed and sleekness of his cat body. His sinewy muscles crawled beneath the skin like concealed machines, and as he ran, the drumming of his pads against the ground was a rhythmic noise. His long, white and black whiskers quivered as he felt the wind against them, but, even though he was enjoying himself, Hibari's thick, black tail stayed low.

He ran up to Namimori middle, and considered his best way inside. It was difficult, however, for someone with acute hearing and smell to focus, and Hibari soon decided that he needed to move on, or be haunted by the sounds of birds that were not his. The world was a lot scarier when you were no more than a foot tall, and Hibari had to navigate through a crowd- ugh, he _hated _crowds- of people in order to get to his destination. He dashed around legs, weaving under, between and around them, and fluffing with repulsion as the odor of heavy perfume and cologne clouded his delicate senses.

The feline soon made it to the Reception room, but, to his agony, the room was locked. He hissed with anger, and, although it hurt him to disrespect the school in any way whatsoever, he reached up, and clawed on the door, making sure not to actually leave any marks. Luckily, Kusakabe had been in there to hear, and as he opened the door, Hibari dashed inside and leapt up onto the couch, suprising himself with his agility. He walked over to his Disciplinary Committe jacket, which he had left at school the previous day, and leaned in, giving it a few shy sniffs. This was most certainly his. On a whim, the black cat lied down, and rolled about over the fabric, inhaling the aroma that he knew belonged to him. Just then, Kusakabe's deep voice spoke, "Now, little cat, you shouldn't play around there. That's not yours." Hibari glared at the man who reached in to pick him up, and swiped at the hand, before running up and unpinning the Head Prefect arm band from his jacket and letting the pin fall as he took the band between his teeth. He made sure that his hold on the badge was gentle, and leapt back down, then ran out of the room, leaving Kusakabe to stare at him in confusion.

The first bell rang.

Hibari's ears lied flat as the loud bells tolled, for even such a pleasant sound was somewhat deafening. He ran along towards the room where he knew he'd find Sawada Tsunayoshi, who was possibly the only person who could help him. He slipped into the room just before the door closed, the red band still in his jaws, and he moved along up to Tsunayoshi, leaping up onto his desk.

"Hii! What's a cat doing here?" the boy cried, making Hibari roll his eyes, annoyed. The cat held up the prefect band, and stood up on his hind legs, giving his best attempt at pointing at it. "Wha...? Don't tell me that it's trying to tell me something?" Tsuna said. "What's up with that?"

"Tenth!" called Gokudera Hayato, dashing to the brown-haired male's side. "Don't be fooled! This must be some sort of alien cat!"

Hibari hissed, arching his back, and he set down the band, putting a forepaw over it as he snarled, "I'm not a freaking alien, Gokudera Hayato! Even an idiot like you must see who I am!"

"Woah, Gokudera, you need to be careful with animals!" said another familiar voice. Hibari squeaked with suprise as two hands took hold of his chest, and squirmed, angered, as he was turned over into 'the baby hold.' Naturally, he thought, it had to be Yamamoto who had done this to him. "Ahaha~ Look, he's a gentle little thing at heart," said Yamamoto, stroking the prefect's stomach. Hibari hissed, and, trusting the first instinct, came in and bit down on Yamamoto's arm, which caused him to be dropped. Hibari's body twisted around in mid-air, and he landed on his feet. Sending a final glare over his shoulder, the black cat leapt up, grabbing his prefect band, and ran off as quickly as he had came. As he left the classroom, he limped slightly, having never been handled in such a rough way before. He leapt up onto a window ledge, staring outside, the prefect band in his jaws once more, and he leaned against the frame, his gray eyes full of frustration.

The prefect knew much too well that the majority of children at Namimori were herbivorous dunderheads, but he had hoped that Tsunayoshi and his lot would be different. He sat down, curling his tail over his front paws, and thought hard, not quite sure where to go next. It was then that he was saved. A hand brushed over his back, and he turned, then purred as he saw Reborn. He nuzzled into the baby's hat, his band hanging from his jaws, threatening to fall out any moment should he continue to purr.

"Hibari?" the baby wondered aloud. "How did this happen?"

Hibari didn't care that he couldn't speak. He set down his prefect band, and began to pour out everything he knew, his paws kneading the ground in anticipation for some miracle solution that the Arcobaleno would have. "I woke up in the morning, and realized that I'd become a cat!" he yowled, closing his eyes tightly. "I don't know what the hell happened to me! It's like a curse or something, I don't know. Maybe some bastard decided to pull some insane trick on me- I'll bite the fool to death!"

A hand on his head soothed him, and the prefect eased his body down, relaxing. "I'm not quite sure how to explain this, but I do know that you should see Mukuro about it." Hibari's fur bristled at the name. "Look, do you want to turn back and face Mukuro? Or chicken out and stay a cat the rest of your life? It's your choice."

Hibari let a breath out through his nose, and sat back up, his gray eyes narrow. "I'll do it," he huffed. "But I won't like it."

"You just better hope this isn't one of those _'true love's kiss will break the curse'_ scenarios," Reborn snickered, a smirk playing on his lips. Hibari fluffed, apalled at the mere idea, and sat back.

"How do I get in? How do I fight?" he protested.

"Mukuro won't need to fight you to understand," Reborn replied in a casual tone. "Mukuro's Animal realm ability allows him to communicate with animals. Just like me." After saying so, the baby took Hibari's prefect arm band, and moved it around until it was around the cat's waist. "There. That'll assure that he knows who it is," Reborn said with a grin.

Hibari sighed, and leapt down from the window, meowing, "Fine. I'll go. Be here if I need you, baby."

The cat walked back through the halls, then broke into an uncomfortable bound, and soon exited the building. Hibird came down before him, a very familiar box and ring in his beak. Hibari stared at the objects for a moment, then hesitantly slid the ring onto his tail, and it burst into a brilliant, purple flame. If a cat could, he would smile.

There was strength left in him yet.

**-End Chapter**

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... I love cats. I love Hibari, too. This is the only logical solution. XD Happy Birthday, my skyark! And happy Children's Day to Everyone else!

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	2. Meeting with Fate

**Kitten Love**

**Chapter 2**

Hibari pushed the ring on his tail into the purple Cloud box, and from it came Roll, much bigger than Hibari was used to. The cat's gaze softened upon seeing his hedgehog, and he kept his tail high so that the ring would stay on. Hibird grabbed on to the box, and Hibari began to move forward, happy that Roll would follow him.

"Roll," he began, looking back at the hedgehog. "Do you know what could've caused this to happen to me?"

The hedgehog shook its head. "I'm sorry, Master. I don't know."

Hibari jumped with suprise, bristling as the squeaky voice met his ears. Was this... was Roll _talking_ to him? "You can speak?" the cat asked.

"We're both small mammals, so we understand each other," Roll replied, sitting down and giving a cartoonish smile. "Where are we going?"

The feline took a few moments to gaze at his box weapon, unsure, before starting to walk again. "To Kokuyo land," he answered.

"Isn't that where Mukuro is?" Roll questioned. "Why are we going there?"

"I'm not quite sure, either," Hibari muttered, before stopping dead in his tracks. "What's that smell?" he questioned. It was at first a gentle whiff of something in the air, but now, it was all so vivid. Hibari couldn't even come up with words to describe the wonderful scent that flowed into him.

"Which smell?" Roll squeaked. "Maybe it's just your flames, Master, 'cause your flames smell delicious..."

"No, no, not that, I'm not a box weapon," Hibari sighed. "Let's follow it."

Hibari wanted to run, but sensing the hedgehog that waddled behind him, barely able to keep up as it was, he knew he couldn't. He pushed on through a few bushes, and watched as Roll curled up and made his own path through them. He was suprisingly content as he walked along, for he had always known that Roll would be a good friend in times of need. It wasn't long before Hibari came up to the source of the good smell. It was Take Sushi, filled with fish, prepared just the way he liked it. It was difficult for the black-furred cat to resist the urge to purr, and he glanced back at Roll, who seemed less euphoric. "I'm, sorry, Master, but you go ahead without me for this one," said Roll. "I don't eat fish."

Hibari gave a nod, and stalked in to Take Sushi, keeping his profile- and ears- low. He went down, stalking towards the plate of sushi that was on an empty table, then sprang up, and, although angered by his own lack of fingers in such a perfect situation, he leaned down, eating to his heart's content. He was just about to finish the plate off when the owners of it returned, however, and he received a very belittling smack on the back of the head before he dashed out. He caught up to Roll, who had been continuing along the path, and licked his lips, purring quietly with satisfaction. "It might not be so easy next time," he told himself, "but that was definitely worth it. Let's go find some water so I can clean up, though..."

"Um... water, sir?" Roll repeated, his eyes twinkling with the idea of a cat bathing in water. "Well... I've seen a few ponds around here..."

As the hedgehog took the lead, Hibari's whiskers twitched as he tried to get a particularly irksome piece of leftover fish off of his face. To his luck, however, they soon came upon a pond, and Hibari sat down, before reaching out to touch the water with a forepaw. He leapt back in suprise as he touched the water, stunned by how foreign it felt, and Roll's face proved that he was highly amused by his Master's antics. The cat took a moment to ponder what he should do, then reached up, licked his paw, and combed through the fur on his head. He repeated the action several times, and soon managed to clean his face of leftover sushi. He was able to lick down his chest, over his shoulder, and soon, it became a rhythm. Hibari became absorbed in th cleaning process as he continued, but as he lifted up his leg, intending to clean more private areas, Roll cleared his throat. Humiliated, the prefect got back up, and shook himself off. "Sorry about that," he sighed. "Let's go."

The two continued on towards Kokuyo land, Hibari reclaiming the lead, and the cat was relieved when they at last got there. It hadn't been so much of an adventure when he was human, after all. He squeezed between the bars of the gate, then looked back at Roll, who shrunk himself slightly in order to move through as well. Hibird flew over the fence, and the trio continued on towards Kokuyo building. Unfortunately for Hibari, Ken, the dog of Mukuro's group, was out patrolling the fences when the cat showed, and, being almost literally half-dog, the blonde haired animal man dashed out at him. Hibari immediately called on Roll's help, and the hedgehog leapt on top of him, before expanding his spikes out to get Ken. The boy howled with pain as several spikes punctured him. Hibari bounded out from beneath the hedgehog's soft stomach, and called for Hibird to return Roll to his box. The bird held the box at the ready, and Roll returned to it, and the three ran- and flew- back and into the building, leaving the dog-like kid where he was.

Hibari told his bird to fly back home and wait, fearing that the older man who once owned Hibird would try to take him back, and entered Kokuyo alone, wincing at the musky, stony smell that greeted his nose as he walked inside. He leapt his way up a ladder, and moved along, when suddenly, a thick, pineapple-like scent cloyed out all other smells, and Hibari continued in the direction of the oddly familiar scent. He walked into the room where he was once beaten into complete submission, and moved over to the man who lied, sleeping, on the couch. That man, Rokudo Mukuro, was his only hope. The cat stalked over to the velvety red couch, and leapt nimbly on it, then crawled over Mukuro's chest, before lying down upon it. If Mukuro was asleep, and could stay asleep like this, so be it. Hibari was feeling strangely... patient. He watched the illusionist's sleeping face, and gradually began to purr as he settled down. He stretched out, resting his head on the illusionist's shoulder, and gave a small mewl as he looked at Mukuro. Red and blue mismatched eyes opened, and Mukuro sat up, making Hibari twitch with annoyance as his comfort was disrupted. "Oya oya?" came the deep voice. "What a pretty little cat." Hibari closed his eyes as the man petted him, and nuzzled into the collarbone, when Mukuro took notice of the band around his waist that read 'Head Prefect.' "Kufufufufu~? What's this? Could you have taken it from my rival, or... perhaps you... are my rival..." Hibari looked up into Mukuro's eyes as the illusionist held his forepaws up, and he received a quick survey, before Mukuro grinned once more. "Oh, but where are my manners! You are indeed a very beautiful cat," praised the Mist, rubbing the tops of Hibari's paws and dragging another purr from his throat. "Is the pretty little cat hungry?"

Hibari meowed.

He didn't even try to say anything, he just let out the cutest meow he could summon, for the attention was quite pleasant, and the cat didn't want it to end just yet. "Aw," Mukuro said. "Here, follow me. I happen to have something you might like." Hibari followed at the illusionist's heels, simply enjoying his time as a cat, when a thought crossed his mind. What if he could stay like this? He exactly wouldn't be a pet, after all, and he'd have Mukuro bending over backwards to feed him! Actually, his time as a cat... it wasn't that much of a struggle at all, and he felt stronger, even if he wasn't. In fact, it was rather fun. Hibari purred, rubbing against Mukuro's leg as the illusionist prepared something for him, and he rolled onto his back, trying to act as aww-inspiring as many cats had to him. "Here you are, little darling," Mukuro said, setting a plate before the prefect. Hibari looked at the rice balls and sushi set out on the plate, and, while the rice didn't smell particularly appealing to his feline nose, he was pleased to discover it still tasted the same. He ate gratefully, and was quickly sated by it, for he didn't require nearly as much food as he used to. As he finished, he repeated the cleaning process he'd learned earlier, but this time didn't roll over for the sake of being modest in front of his rival. "You sweet little thing," Mukuro cooed, kneeling down beside the cat and stroking his just-cleaned fur. "Would you like me to take care of you?"

"I'd love it," Hibari meowed, sitting up onto his hind legs and placing both forepaws on Mukuro's knee. The illusionist picked him up, and Hibari let the illusionist carry him back into a bedroom.

"As you can imagine, this is my room," Mukuro said, sitting down on the bed with Hibari. "I'd advise you stay here so that you don't get caught by Ken or Chikusa."

"Thanks, Rokudo," Hibari mewed, nuzzling into the illusionist's stomach. There was a deafening pause.

"I only know one man who currently addresses me by my last name." Hibari squeaked with suprise as he was held up, a little less gently this time. "Hibari_ Kyouya_, how rotten of you to trick me."

Hibari squirmed away and leapt off of the illusionist's lap, huffing in indigance. "Look, I don't know what happened," he snorted. "All I know is I'm a cat at the moment. The baby told me to come to you about it... and I admit that I got a little carried away."

"So this will be your form for a while, hm?" Mukuro hummed. "Well, I suppose it isn't so bad. But goodness, Kyouya, next time, tell me about this before I start _petting_ you!"

"But it feels so good," Hibari mumbled. He jumped back onto the bed, and walked over to Mukuro, then nuzzled into his hand once more. "Sometimes I can't help myself," he purred. "I occassionally go off pure instinct." Mukuro reluctantly began to pet the cat once more, and, as he did so, Hibari crawled up into his lap. The illusionist lied down, and Hibari moved up his chest, then began to lick gently at his face. The illusionist grinned.

"This doesn't strike you as awkward in any way?" he chuckled. The cat gently kneaded at the sheets past Mukuro's shoulders.

"Not at all," he breathed. "Just let me enjoy this."

And he closed his eyes.

**-End Chapter**

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	3. Fran: Friend or Foe?

**Kitten Love**

**Chapter 3**

_The next day..._

When Hibari woke up, he found himself more comfortable than he had felt in years. He stretched on the bed, reaching far up with his hands, and far down with his legs, then, as he opened his eyes, rememberance washed over him. He sat up, yawned, and leapt down from the bed, tiredly wondering if Mukuro was going to make him breakfast, or something cheesey like that. He moved along until he came up to the door that led outside of the illusionist's room, and scratched on it boredly. He could care less, after all, if Mukuro's property was damaged.

After scratching for a solid five minutes, Hibari walked back to the bed, and leapt on it once more, then began to clean himself. Whether Mukuro would let him out or not was currently of no concern to him, and he wanted to be productive. He was halfway through washing his tail when the illusionist walked into the room. "Kyouya," Mukuro greeted, setting a plate on the bed. Hibari glanced at it with only one eye open, pretending to be passive. "Now, if you don't want this, I'll just take it back," the Mist chuckled, reaching to take the plate back. Hibari swiped his paw over the illusionist's hand in response, hissing dangerously, and the illusionist laughed, sitting down beside the cat. "So tell me, what does it feel like?"

Hibari glared at the other man, his tail twitching in annoyance as he leaned in to start eating. He began to eat the meal, coming up from it time to time to talk. "The paws hardly feel like they're there. It's like having four feet- literally. The tail's not much of a difference, either. It's like your ears- you typically don't think about moving it. As for talking, purring, not much to say there. It feels the same... purring is just a vibration in my throat."

Mukuro sighed, and folded his legs, looking at his former rival with pity. "Wonder what you'd do if I yanked your pretty little tail," he snickered. The cat didn't reply, only swept his tail out of harm's way. He didn't fear Mukuro. Mukuro was just as soft with animals as himself. "Kyouya," Mukuro murmured, leaning over and stroking the cat's back. "I want you to stay in here. Ken won't be able to stop himself from being Ken if he sees you. Fran would most definitely yank your tail... and while I do trust Chikusa, I don't trust him when he's with Ken." Hibari nodded, licking his lips as he finished his meal, and he lied down, then rolled on to his back, placing his paws over his bright, white stomach. His head rested against Mukuro's side, and he mewed quietly, before reaching up. His claws unintentionally caught on the illusionist's shirt, and he pulled it back, then felt his cheeks heating as he saw the illusionist's bare stomach. He had the overwhelming urge to get himself between the shirt and Mukuro's naked chest, and, being unable to control the instinct, he twisted himself up and moved into the Mist's shirt. His head peeked out from the shirt's collar, and he could feel the vibration of Mukuro's chuckle against his fur. "Kyouya, please," Mukuro laughed. "I don't want you creating anything awkward for me..." Hibari snorted, leaning up and nipping the illusionist's ear, before kicking out of the shirt through the collar, making the Mist grunt with pain as his hind claws dug into his collarbone. Hibari landed back on the bed with ease, and he stretched casually, shaking his hind paws as if to rid them of Mukuro's scent.

As he looked back at Mukuro, he began to purr, and the illusionist smiled, stroking his back. Hibari lied down on the bed, and sighed, "You know, Mukuro, I'm enjoying myself more than you'd expect. This is kind of fun... being a cat..." As his meow came to a close, he heard a knock on the door, and he fluffed, stalking behind Mukuro.

"Master! Ken bit me again! You really need to get a leash on him!" called a monotonous voice. Hibari arched his back, stepping out from behind the illusionist with uncertain paws.

"Who's that?" he asked, glancing up at Mukuro.

"It's Fran," Mukuro sighed. "I don't know how he is with animals, but I doubt he's good with them. You ought to stay behind me."

"I don't show fear," Hibari hissed, moving down into a crouching position. The door opened, and Hibari saw a boy with teal hair and eyes, some giant, red apple hat on his head, and as the teal eyes rested on the cat, Hibari found his anxiety slowly rising. The boy came forward, and sat down on the bed. Mukuro, taking a chance, knew he had to get the door closed, and he stood to do so, hoping that Fran could be trusted with cat Hibari. The teal-haired illusionist reached out, and Hibari gently sniffed his hand, calming to detect a pleasant fragrance of pine trees and meadows on the boy. He nuzzled into the hand, and Fran petted him, scratching him behind the ears. Hibari had never felt something so pleasant in his life. He rubbed his head against the fingers, an inevitable purr rising up in his throat, and he mewed, "I like this guy."

"Kufufufu~ Seems he likes you, Fran," Mukuro chuckled with an odd hint of malice as he returned. Fran glanced up at him.

"I'm suprised you didn't tell him some rotten things about me so that he'd run and hide," the boy snickered. "You do that with everyone else, after all. Turn them all against me before I even meet them." Hibari's ears tilted back slightly, and he thought for a moment, then licked Fran's hand. The boy blushed lightly, allowing the feline to stroke his hand with his tongue, but eventually, Mukuro wouldn't stand for it.

"All right, Kyouya, that's enough," he said, his voice hinting at evil intent. Hibari snorted at the illusionist, and stopped, sitting down and gazing up at Fran with his large, gray eyes. He was intruiged by this boy, whose face was as deadpan as a rock, and whose hand was as soft and smooth as his own fur.

"I like this guy," Hibari repeated, walking back over to the older illusionist. "Odd, isn't it? I usually despise illusionists..."

"Goodness, Kyouya, would you just shut up and act like yourself for a change?" Mukuro snarled. "You know how disgusting this is?" Hibari yelped as the illusionist cuffed him over the head, and ran away, before crawling under the bed. He had never experienced something quite so painful before, and he immediately felt scared. But he soon saw Fran's face beneath the bed as well, and he heard soothing sounds come from him. Gentle coos and clucks that coaxed him out from beneath the bed. He was taken into Fran's arms, his forepaws over the other's shoulder, and he closed his eyes, distantly remembering a similar feeling. The aloof memory of being cradled in the arms of someone larger than him... what a pleasant sensation. The cat rested his head on Fran's shoulder, and watched Mukuro's expression as he was carried out of the room. Fran took him over to what must've been his room, and set the feline down on the smaller bed.

"Master called you Kyouya, so I guess he must have a huge crush on that one guy...," Fran mumbled, sitting down on the bed. "You're too innocent and fluffy for that treatment, in my opinion." Hibari meowed, rubbing up against the other, and Fran, taking notice of the badge around Hibari's waist, took a hold of it, and slid it down off of Hibari's waist. He placed the badge under his pillow, and as Hibari looked back at him, confused, Fran lied down on the bed, and embraced him. "What a pretty cat," Fran mumbled. "I used to have a cat a lot like you... named him Kouchou. Y'know why? 'Cause he had such a beautiful voice. You have a pretty voice too, cat?" Hibari let out a throaty meow in attempt to show off, and he felt his heart skip a beat as Fran smiled at him. "I don't want to get attatched to another cat, but I guess I can't help it. I'll call you Hibari, for skylark. What do you say?" This was another moment where Hibari wanted nothing more than to grin, and he let out one more meow, nuzzling into Fran's gentle hand.

"What a good herbivore," Hibari mused to himself as he closed his eyes. "A very good herbivore, indeed."

And as the cat began to doze, Fran silently agreed, his heart filled by the replacement of his beloved Kouchou.

-**End Chapter**

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	4. You Jealous?

**Kitten Love**

**Chapter 4**

When the black-furred feline awoke the next morning, he rolled onto his feet, and tiredly started for the door, leaving Fran asleep in the bed. He pawed the door open, feeling relaxed enough to have no fear of Ken or Chikusa. He trotted up to the couch where he'd first met his rival in his cat form, and leapt up on to it, then leaned back and sharpened his claws against it, an evil look on his face as he did so. "Mmm," he hummed, stretching, when he heard someone else walk in. He glanced back to find Mukuro, and he hissed, his fur standing on end. "What?" he snarled.

"Shh," the illusionist hushed, stepping closer. He brought the cat into a hug, allowing all four of the dark paws to remain on the ground as he embraced the prefect. "I'm sorry, all right, Kyouya? But I'm worried about you. Fran really is an odd child. He changes a lot- he can't be trusted. Okay? Come back into my room."

The cat reached up, and pushed the man back with a single paw. "Mukuro," he mewed, "I'm sorry. He's already gained my trust, whether he deserves it or not."

"Hm," Mukuro grunted in reply, reaching up and massaging Hibari's shoulders with a single hand. The cat sighed from his nose, starting to purr quietly, when he heard Fran's voice calling out his name.

He leapt down from the couch in a heartbeat, and dashed over to the teal haired illusionist, before rubbing against his ankles. "Good morning, Fran," he purred.

"Morning, Hibari," Fran greeted.

"Fran, you know?" Mukuro murmured, his eyes wide.

"Huh? Know what?" the younger illusionist answered. "I named him Hibari for his pretty voice."

"Oh? Well... all right," the older sighed, shrugging. "Well, breakfast is this way. Kyouya, be prepared for Ken."

"I'll just... poke his eyes and he'll be unable to... see... me...," the cat breathed, before turning and stalking back to the couch. He hopped over on to it, then walked over to the window, and purred as sunlight speckled his pelt through the thin curtains. "You know what? I'll hang here for a bit," he mewled, lying down and draping his paws over the edge of the window frame. "Nice...," he sighed, closing his eyes.

Kyoya quickly drifted into dreams. He woke up in the middle of a forest, delectable smells hanging about him, making his mouth flood with desire. The cat stalked through the woods, brushing up against the trees to scratch his sides. He then began to climb up one, his claws digging into the soft bark as he yanked himself up towards the top of the tree. He soon crawled out onto a branch, and found a bird's nest. Miraculously, the nest didn't seem to be one which the prefect would have any sort of recognition for. He didn't recall the fragility of egg shells, and those round little things looked like toys. The cat reached out with one paw, but as he batted one of the eggs, the shell cracked, and became stuck on his claws. Suddenly, there was cawing from all directions, and Hibari meowed with suprise, trying to shake the egg off, and at last dropping it. The egg shattered on the ground, and Hibari's ears lied flat with humiliation and apologetic sentiments. But then, sharp talons found his waist, and he was carried up into the air, farther, farther...

When Kyoya reopened his eyes, he found that the talons were in fact the fangs of a certain dog-child, and he screeched with shock, thrashing about in the gentle jaw grip until he was dropped. His back made a distinct arch, his fur standing on end as he gave a fierce, angry hiss, and he jumped a little on his paws in order to emphasize his point: he was not food!

"Kyouya? What's going on?" Mukuro began, before relaxing. He smiled eerily, and folded his arms. "Ken," he said. "How many times have I warned you about touching my property?"

"A lot," Ken answered, his gleeful expression sinking. Fran then walked into the room, a collar and leash in his hands.

"I got them, Master," he said.

"Good."

Ken was given a dog house, a dish of water, and a steak. He was to stay outside regularly, for he now performed the duty of guard dog.

Later on that day, Mukuro and Hibari sat together on opposite sides of a table, gazing into each other's eyes as they tried to figure out a way for Hibari to become human again. Hibari stood on a chair with his forepaws on the table, his nose wrinkled up as he thought. "You don't suppose this is one of those freaky 'true love's kiss will break the curse' deals, do you?" Mukuro asked.

The cat shook his head. "I don't love," he muttered.

"... Well, I could use illusions to temporarily humanize you," the illusionist suggested.

"Perhaps we'll try that later," Hibari sighed. "Hey, by any chance, do you think an illusion is what's making me this way?"

The other shook his head. "I would've been able to tell something was off when you first came to me if that was the case."

"Oh...," the cat said.

Mukuro smiled, and reached over the tail, placing two fingers over a dark paw. "Don't worry, Kyouya. I'll help you through this." The cat twitched his whiskers as the illusionist smiled, feeling his face grow hot, although he didn't know why. The illusionist's intense gaze was hard enough to bear without this weird hotness in his cheeks. He looked away, his ears lying back, and he sighed.

"Of all the creepy things you do, Mukuro, this is at the top of the list," the cat muttered, his tail quivering.

"Kufufufu," Mukuro chuckled. The illusionist stood up, and Hibari leapt down from the chair he was on. "Well, Kyouya... I'm sorry for my behavior recently, I've been rather abusive. I should know better. Anyway, I'd prefer to keep you in with me tonight, as I've sent Fran out with Chikusa to run a few errands, and you know how Fran can be..."

Hibari furrowed his eyebrows as he thought,_ 'Does he really not see that he's trying to give Fran a bad name? Is he jealous or something?_' Even so, the cat followed the illusionist back to his room, and obediently leapt up on to the bed.

"Good night, Kyouya."

As skeptical as the cat was of Mukuro's behavior, he rolled onto his back, and meowed, "Good night, Mukuro."

**-End Chapter**

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	5. Teasing the Fruit

**Kitten Love**

**Chapter 5**

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_Hibari stood among a clan of cats, all with odd, pompadour hairstyles, and all of them loyal and obedient to him. He yowled for them to go out hunting, and they did so. They would bring their prey back to him, and honor him, as the strongest of them all. But just as Hibari began to bask in his greatness, there was a small growl from behind him. He turned, and saw a mountain lion, clearly one that was challenging him. His fur stood on end, and he arched his back, hissing harshly. The cougar was not impressed. The larger cat got down in a stretching position, and yawned, displaying the large fangs it bore. It was Hibari's turn to be passive._

_"I'll bite you to death," he hissed, a little bounce in his hind legs as he bore his fangs. He leapt on to the cougar's back, and scratched and bit angrily, soon dominating the larger cat. Yes. He was the king of beasts. The strongest of them all._

_And he soon was battling larger than life eagles, giant sharks, and a horrible pineapple that just wouldn't let him alone._

As Hibari awoke the next morning, he felt comfortable enough to doze off once more. Mukuro was close enough that his hot breath brushed over the feline's head, thankfully not disturbing his sensitive ears in the process. The cat's paws were placed on Mukuro's shoulder's, and the other's arms were draped around his own body, almost like a hug. The cat felt heat rushing to his face once more when he realized just how close they were, and he closed his eyes tightly, thinking hard. He was so comfortable! How would he be able to live with himself if he wrecked this delicate moment? And yet, this close proximity was making Hibari feel sick.

"Mukuro," he mewed. The illusionist groaned in his sleep, his eyelashes twitching, and Hibari kept his mouth firmly shut. No. He would NOT be disturbed by this odd... He would not waver from the strange... ugh! Enough! The cat shoved Mukuro back, successfully kicking off from him, and slashing a couple of claws over the illusionist's face, ending up on the edge of the bed, almost panting. 'Never again,' he thought. 'Never again will I get close to him.' The cat looked over his shoulder, and cocked his head, confused. Mukuro was still sleeping? Even after the cat scratched him?

Suddenly, Hibari came to a grave realization. There were scratch marks all over the illusionist's arms and face, and the cat distantly remembered his dream. He looked down, ashamed. How could he let Mukuro suffer through something like that? The cat held up a paw, and cleaned it off, still watching the illusionist. Still feeling apologetic, he soon let the paw come back down to the ground, and he stalked over to Mukuro, then began to lick his cheek. The illusionist's eyes opened as slivers, but he didn't say a word. He instead let the cat groom him with his rough tongue, his tail wrapping around the wounded wrist as if to comfort the other further. The cat then sat back on Mukuro's chest, and looked down at him.

"I apologize for my sleepfighting," he said. The other looked confused.

"Mm?" he stood up, and walked over to the broken mirror on the wall, then smiled. "Well, it's nice that you got some payback for our little quarrel a couple years ago. I'm glad you have so much energy, Kyouya."

"Wha- no, no, you don't get it," Hibari said. "There was a mountain lion, then huge eagles and sharks, and this... this pineapple!" Mukuro's face had been filled with amusement until the cat mentioned the tropical fruit which his head just happened to be shaped as, at which point, his expression darkened.

"What did you say?" he hissed.

"A pineapple," Hibari repeated, casually. Mukuro twitched, and the cat finally grasped why. "Oh, _oh, right!"_ he meowed, bounding up and touching his forepaws against the illusionist's chest, giving him a challenging stare. "That's the same particular shape you chose for your hair,_ isn't it?"_ Mukuro began to quiver with rage, his fists clenching. Hibari's right paw strayed back as he leaned in, reaching the claw up and hooking it around the band that held Mukuro's hair in place. At that point, the felines nose was right against Mukuro's ear, and he chuckled, "I always thought you had the dumbest hairstyle." With that, he he yanked, took the band into his mouth, and leapt over to the window, before leaping off the edge. He heard Mukuro's furious shout as he fell through the air, his body twisting until he caught his forelegs around a tree limb and pulled himself up. He placed the band for Mukuro's hair on a branch, and glared back up at the Mist, his eyes glinting mischievously. But he began to lose the confidence when Mukuro smirked right back at him.

"Kyouya, you're a cat, and that's a tree. And, on top of that complication, do you know _what kind_ of tree it is?" the illusionist teased. Hibari glanced up, and saw now the pink blossoms that adorned the branches.

"Ch-cherry blossoms...!" he gasped, growing immediately dizzy. His legs failed, and he wobbled, then lost his balance, ending up clinging to the branches with his forelegs. "Mukuro!" he yowled. "Get over here and save me, would you?"

"Oh, no, I'll just let you learn why you don't try to cramp my style," the other called. Hibari's eyes grew wide.

_'I can't fall from this height...,'_ he thought._ 'I just... I can't!'_ His claws dug into the branch, and he tried to swing himself back up onto the branch, but his legs were weak, wobbly from his cherry blossom disease, and he couldn't make it. His claws began to slide, leaving their marks in the branches, and Hibari closed his eyes, frightened. What if he should fall? Suddenly, he couldn't think anymore. He was falling, fast through the air, plummeting towards the ground, and then, ah! He hit a gentle surface, actually bouncing back up a little.

"Oh? Hibari-san! Where did you...? Did Master toss you out of the window?"

That voice... had to be... Fran! Hibari looked up, and, seeing Fran, he leapt off of the bouncy surface, holding his forepaws around Fran's neck. "You just saved my life, herbivore," he breathed, relieved.

"I was just getting this dog bed over to Ken's post," Fran explained. "Looks like it was good I was here for ya this time." Hibari slid down off of Fran, and instead followed alongside him as the younger boy headed off to put that bed away. Mukuro watched from the windows, his eyes filled with envy.

* * *

A few hours later, Hibari walked into Kokuyo building, a raw fish held in his jaws. His tail hugged the ankle that belonged to Fran, the one who had been so kind as to gift him this fish. "Y'know, Hibari?" Fran said, "It's an awful nice thing you met me. See, Master's a little bonkers when it comes to small animals. Arrogant, too. You know this owl Chrome has? He called it _Mukurou_. He really is weird."

Hibari looked down. _'Fran, too?'_ he thought._ 'What's up with that? I'm just a cat!'_ The feline sped up slightly, leaving Fran behind, and he leapt up on to Mukuro's couch to eat. _'Something's wrong,_' he thought,_ 'really wrong.'_

"Kyouya!" The cat sighed as he felt Mukuro's weight as he eased into the couch. "How's Fran?" Mukuro asked in a false sweet voice. Hibari yelped as he was picked up and cradled like a baby in the illusionist's arms, before suddenly being brought close. Their noses touched, and Hibari felt himself suddenly present. He was human, his body right up against Mukuro's own.

"M-Mukuro?" he gasped, starting to back up.

"Fufufu~," the illusionist chuckled. "Whether I like you better as a cat or an illusionary human, I simply cannot decide..."

"Don't mess with me!" Hibari protested.

"It's an illusion, Kyoya, calm down," Mukuro said. "It seems I can only pull it off when we're touching." Hibari glared, then bounded away from Mukuro, managing to get away from him far enough to revert into a feline.

"If that's the case, I won't touch you," he hissed, his fur standing on end. "Of all the things... of all the humiliation and pain I've suffered... You, Mukuro Rokudo, add insult to injury. I don't know who you think you are."

Mukuro's expression grew disappointed, almost sorrowful. "Oh, Kyouya," he sighed. "Aren't I allowed to play with you? Just a little?" Hibari walked up to Mukuro's ankle, and rubbed against him, before biting down hard. "Ah-!" the illusionist yelped, recoiling. His eyes grew just the tiniest bit teary, and he growled, "Kyoya... Illusionists are weak to physical pain...," he murmured.

"I'm allowed to play with you a little, _right?"_ Hibari said, leaping on to the couch where Mukuro was cradling his ankle, and cleansing the wound with his feline tongue. Mukuro watched him, his face tinted pink, and he reached down, scratching behind the cat's ears.

"L... y... K...," Hibari just barely picked up.

"Hm?"

"I haven't said a word," the illusionist lied, a knowing smile on his face.

**-End Chapter**

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	6. Catnip!

**Kitten Love**

**Chapter 6**

"Oh, Hibari!" Fran called, hiding a box behind his back. "Hibari!"

The cat soon stalked out of Mukuro's room, and Fran set the box on the ground. "Got you a present," he said. Hibari blinked at the bright, red wrapping paper, then reached up, and snagged a couple of claws on it, dragging it own. The paper slowly tore, revealing the box itself, and Hibari stood up on his hind legs, pulling the flaps open with his paws. Inside was a branch of something that made his curiosity peak. He came in, and took the branch of leaves in his jaws, before setting it down. He inhaled the heavy smell on it for a while, then soon lost to instinct. He began to roll around on the oily leaeves, covering his body with the pleasant fragrance.

Soon, Mukuro emerged from his room, and arched a brow at the sight before him. "Fran? What did you give him?"  
The younger illusionist grinned, and answered, "Catnip."

Hibari continued to roll around, occasionally pausing and rubbing his cheeks against the leaves, purring loudly. What a delightful scent it was! Hibari's slit pupils became wide, round orbs as he played, before he felt a hand on his stomach. He looked up at Mukuro with glazed-over eyes, and mewled, "Santa? That you?"

"Goodness, Kyouya, snap out of it!" Mukuro muttered. Hibari shook his head, and sat up, before starting to sneeze repeatedly. The older illusionist sighed, and scooped the cat up in his arms, letting the forepaws hang over his shoulder. "Fran, no more catnip for Kyouya, okay? I doubt it's good for him."

Fran folded his arms. "Well, he sure seemed to like it," he mumbled, looking away. Mukuro rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, Kyouya, I have news," the illusionist said, holding the cat a little more gently. "Your bird came to us with a note, saying that we need to attend a meeting for all of the Vongola guardians. It's from Reborn."

"The baby?" Hibari murmured, starting to regain his senses. "Okay... but..."

"Don't worry," Mukuro cooed, "I'm sure the meeting is to overview our situation and warn everyone about you." The cat gave a small nod.

"Master? If something's up with Hibari, I wanna be at the meeting," Fran said, folding his arms. The illusionist hesitated, but Hibari reached up a paw, placing it on the other's well-defined collarbone.

"Let Fran tag along," he mewed. "Please?"

Looking into those soft, steely eyes, Mukuro couldn't refuse. He gave a reluctant agreement, and Fran grinned. "Thanks, Hibari," he said, walking over and rubbing the cat's stomach. With those hands that were covered in the scent of catnip, Hibari almost giggled, holding the soft hand within his fuzzy paws.

_Later_...

Mukuro, Fran, and Hibari Kyoya walked into the Sawada household for their meeting, and Hibari was held in Mukuro's lap as the conference began. "Um... Mukuro-san, I'd like to begin by asking why you have a cat...," Tsuna said awkwardly. Mukuro sighed, and held Hibari up, showing everyone his deep, silvery eyes.

"Everyone, this is no cat, but our seventh guardian- Hibari Kyoya!" Mukuro announced. Hibari felt heat rushing to his face as everyone stared at him in shock, when Yamamoto burst into laughter.

"How crazy!" he guwaffed. "Really? Hibari's a cat?"

Gokudera sat back, stunned. "Must be... some sort of anthromorphic trait? I knew that cat was a UMA!"

"Gokudera-kun, please," Tsuna sighed. He leaned in, observing the cat which continued to stare at him, when Hibari's dark ears lied flat, and he hissed, his white teeth gleaming. The boss leapt back, startled, and scared. "Hii!" he shrieked. "It's Hibari! There's no doubt about it!"

Hibari calmed, satisfied after seeing Tsuna's classic reaction. He hopped up onto the kotatsu*, and sat down, giving his paws a few pompous licks before he took the pencil Reborn held out. His jaws gently cradled the utensil between his teeth, and he turned his head, before starting to write. Even in such an awkward position, Hibari's handwriting was absolute. He wrote in complex kanji, 'You may not have as much reason to fear me now, but I am still to be respected. We must devise a plan to reverse this hideous development as soon as possible.'

"Hideous?" Lambo repeated, picking his nose. "But you're a cat. You get to laze around all day. Isn't that fun?"

Hibari glared at him, but there was more to come. "I think you look positively adorable!" Yamamoto announced, scooping Hibari up and placing him into that baby hold again. Hibari snarled with rage, but calmed as he was taken back into softer arms- Fran's arms.

"Hibari, I really think that whole true love's kiss thing might be involved," Reborn said. "Is there ANYONE you have affection for?"

Hibari grew a pinch anxious, and he leaned back, answering the Arcobaleno's question by administering a small lick to Fran's cheek, before turning to Mukuro and giving him a less voluntary lick on the hand. "Don't call it affection," he mumbled. "Call it a temporary lack of belligerence."

"Kyouya, you want to... kiss me?" Mukuro hinted, grinning. Fran's face darkened slightly with jealousy.

"He would rather it were me, Master," the younger said, looking away. "Cat's don't eat pineapples, after all. But then again, he IS a cat... so..."

Mukuro passed a glare to his apprentice.

Rivalry burned in his mismatched gaze.

**-End Chapter**

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*Japanese heated table.

All right! Well, this story sure does seem popular, lots of favorites and alerts, but strangely, not so many reviews? Come on, now! I want feedback! And I often listen to requests!

Please Review!


	7. Catnapped

**Kitten Love Chapter 7**

"Ugh, that was exhausting," Hibari muttered, temporarily getting on to his hind legs, before allowing himself to plop down into Mukuro's bed. "I hate herbivores," he mumbled, covering his face with his dark paws. Mukuro smiled, and set a small plate of sushi beside the feline, who quickly cleaned the plate.

"You know, Kyouya," Mukuro murmured, sitting down on the bed as well. "What if that whole kiss thing is real? What if that works?" Hibari glanced at him.

"I'm a cat, Mukuro," he murmured, lying down. "I don't think you want to kiss me."

"Of course, I wouldn't kiss your lips. Just... your ear, I guess." Hibari glared at him.

"Mukuro," he said in a warning voice as the illusionist came close. He felt each of his shoulders fall into Mukuro's hands, and he gulped as he felt the warm breath on his neck. "Mukuro...!" he mewed, before closing his eyes as he felt the brush of the other's lips against his ear.

"See? Was that so bad?" Mukuro chuckled, backing up.

"Did it work?" the ravenette cried, looking over himself. He was still a cat. "Mukuro!" he snapped. "How could you?"

"Kuhahahahaha!" the illusionist laughed, lying down in his bed as Hibari arched his back. "You're just so cute, I couldn't help myself!"

"Wha- don't do stuff like that!" the cat snapped, jumping on to Mukuro's chest and hopping in place. "Seriously!" he huffed, sitting down. He held up his right paw, letting the claws show as his eyes grew solemn. "I ought to scratch you."

"No need," the illusionist replied dismissively. "If you have a problem with me, go run to Fran." The cat's tail grew twice it's original size with his anger, and he hissed, before leaping down off the bed. "Hey... wait up!" Mukuro complained, sitting upright. He watched as Hibari's fluffed tail disappeared out the door, and he sighed. "Well, I brought that on myself," he sighed, lying back down.

Hibari strutted back into Fran's room, and leapt up onto the bed. "Fran!" he meowed, walking up to the illusionist and reaching out to tap him on the forehead. But he soon realized that he couldn't bring himself to wake Fran up. The pale face was relaxed, his marked eyes quivering with the animation of what Hibari believed to be some wonderful dream. The cat lied down on Fran's chest, and rested his head on Fran's chest, murmuring, "Good night, Fran."

_Morning..._

"Hibari? What are- *yawn* you doing here?" Fran murmured, tiredly sitting up. He stroked the cat's back, a little uncertain, and he sighed, "You know, I was really suprised yesterday. Finding out you were a... a... *yawn*... human..."

Hibari nodded, and nuzzled against Fran's throat, purring. He didn't want Fran to treat him differently now that he knew. He didn't want that. He liked being treated as a cat, being petted and stroked, and loved. It was fun. "Fran...," he mewed, standing. "Don't treat me different." Fran paused, as if he'd understood what the cat had said to him, and he closed his eyes, nodding.

"Hibari, listen...," Fran said, holding up the cat's front paws and gazing into his eyes. "You're really special to me. So please, tell me. Would you rather be a cat, or a human?"

Hibari thought about it for a while; it proved to be a very difficult question.

Being a human meant living his days as the king, the most powerful, the ruler of Namimori, leading all with his iron tonfa. As a human, he relied on no one, could fend for himself, and take care of whatever needed it. He was the peacekeeper, the one capable of taking down hundreds singlehandedly, who could probably conquer worlds if it was his desire. Hibari Kyoya, the most powerful man on the planet.

And then, there was a cat's life. Luxury, life, relaxation. He could just kick back and relax. No one could tell him no. People brought him food, served him, and treated him like some sort of prince. That was a life that was impossible to loath. He was loved for being a soft, fluffy cat, and that was enough for him.

"I don't know," he answered, honestly. "But as of right now... I think... I'd rather be a cat..."

He said that, but that night, something dreadful happened. Hibari was catnapped.

It happened when he was lying asleep on the couch, frustrated by the jealousy of his favorite caretakers. Warm arms picked him up, and he wasn't able to awaken to them. He was carried outside, taken away... dragged out of the life he'd come to enjoy...

_Nekohaji Kennel - 7:00 AM the next day._

Hibari slowly blinked away his dreams, and stood up, only to shudder when he realized how cold it was. And then, he noticed the close confinement of his current space- he was surrounded by walls on all sides, except for one, which bore instead a chain link fence. On the ground was a dish filled with what had to be some sort of dry pet food, and he found that he had been sleeping in an old, pet's bed, one which smelled dreadfully of other animals. The cat gave a loud meow of protest.

"Mukuro, Fran, this isn't funny!" he complained.

"Quiet," came a snap of a meow. Hibari looked to his side, and found a blonde cat whose fur was so long, his eyes weren't visible. The other had been curled up in a heap so tightly that the black-furred feline had originally mistaken him for another bed.

"Who are you?" the ravenette asked.

"You don't recognize me, Hibari?" said the other, stalking forward. "It's Belphegor. Of the Varia? Looks like you got it, too."

"Got what?" Hibari asked.

"Fran," Bel muttered, reaching up and stroking through his fur with his paws. "I don't think he knows what he's doing, but he's been the cause of our current situation.

"How so?" the other cat inquired.

"He's casting some mega illusions," Bel said, "I think Mukuro taught it to him, but I don't think that dumb illusionist knows about what Fran's doing."

"So... um...," Hibari began, awkwardly. "How did you end up here?"

"Same as you, probably," Bel sighed. "As Fran brings in animals, Ken gets kicked out of the headquarters. And when Ken gets kicked out of the headquarters, Chikusa throws a fit. When Chikusa throws a fit, we get the boot."

"But...," Hibari began. "What's going to happen to us in here?" Belphegor shook his head.

"I have no idea."

**-End Chapter**

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Phew...

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	8. Kennel

**Kitten Love**

**Chapter 8**

* * *

Hibari sat in the corner, giving himself a thorough bathing after Belphegor had told him that he had been sleeping in the prince's bed. And Hibari was certain that said prince had fleas, with that huge coat he had. "So, Bel," Hibari muttered between strokes down his chest. "Is that some sort of food?" he questioned, indicating with his tail to the dish on the ground.

"Yeah. You know those little dirt rocks one might find?"

"Uh... yeah, I guess," Hibari replied, looking back up, confused.

"I'm pretty sure that's what the food is," Bel answered.

"Gross," Hibari muttered, looking back at the bowl. "Really?" He stalked up to it, and leaned down, giving it a curious sniff. He cautiously took a piece in his mouth, and bit into it, before dejectedly spitting it back out. "Disgusting stuff," he growled, stepping back. "I've been fed gourmet sushi for weeks now. I can't stand this!"

"Ushishishishi!" the blonde cat cackled, sitting down until his hind paws were off the ground and his stomach was in the air. He rested his forepaws over his chest, and eased against the wall in a human-like sitting pose. "Don't worry, Hibari. We have some little delivery felines around this little prison. You'll be seeing these cats in a whole new light when we're through with this." The cat then walked over to the chain-link fence, and meowed, "Hey, guys! A pal of mine just dropped by! Give him a warm welcome, would ya?"

A chorus of yowls and screeches started up all around the area, and Hibari's steely eyes grew wide as Belphegor sat back on his haunches, giggling. "Woah, Bel, how many cats are in here?" the ravenette questioned.

"Dunno," Bel answered. "They can't count, and I won't be bothered."

"So what, did you recruit them all as some sort of underlings?" Hibari asked, turning back towards the blonde.

"Ushishishi! Once they found out I was the prince, there wasn't much question. They didn't need to be told twice - they got right in line to obey me. That's why this cage is such a bummer." The prince took a pause, then asked, "Have your eyes been adjusted to the dark?"

"Well, I doubt it would take much effort, why?" Hibari asked.

"This is a kennel, Hibari. So when the lights go out, we're ready to interact with each other. Its ironic enough, but the boss owns a cat. That cat's about the wisest one I know. The others just act on impulse, mostly."

"All... right...," Hibari sighed, before walking over and putting his forepaws over the chain fences. "But... I still kind of..."

"Miss Fran?" Bel asked. "I do _dearly_. He's quite nice to animals."

"And not just him, either," Hibari whispered. Bel caught the look on the other's face, and giggled a few more times, before getting up close and tickling under the black cat's chin with his tail, making the ravenette fluff up with suprise and distaste.

"I thought the little prefect peasant didn't like Mukuro? I guess I was wrong~," he giggled.

"Zip it," Hibari growled, looking away.

"Prefect likes a pineapple~ Prefect likes a pinea- ah!" the prince gasped as Hibari flashed his paw and swiped a claw over his nose. The prince took a couple steps back, then gave a soft giggle. "You cut the prince," he giggled. Hibari caught the glimmer of insanity in Bel's eyes at just the right time, and he leapt on to the chain link fence, climbing until he was as far away from the blonde as possible. The blonde's sharp, white claws slashed at him from behind, and Hibari gulped, trying to reach up into the cage above. His paws found a ledge, and his head slid through a section in the fence that had been stretched out, and he saw a cat on the next cage up looking at him curiously. The cat had emerald eyes and rusty red fur. Hibari cocked his head to the side.

_"Firestar?"_ he wondered aloud, before his paws lost their hold and he fell from his uncomfortable place, twisting in midair until he was upright, and he landed on Belphegor with a strangled 'oof.' The prince was silent for a while, and Hibari wondered for a few moments if he had accidentally...

"I'm okay now," the blonde mumbled, and the prefect breathed a sigh of relief as Bel slipped out from beneath him. "By the way, the cat up there, the orange-ish one, is named Fran."

"Who named him that?" Hibari asked.

"I did," Bel answered. "I named all of the cats here." The prince shook himself, and Hibari winced, thinking once more of the potential fleas that could be bouncing off of that golden coat as they spoke. Bel pointed across the walkway, and Hibari saw an old cat with a shaggy gray pelt. "That's Squalo. There's a Lussuria cat somewhere- a sphynx, and Xanxus is our savior. Our delivery cat." Bel purred at the thought.

"Well, that's great, you crazy prince," Hibari muttered, stalking into his favorite far corner. He curled up on the ground, and closed his eyes. "Wake me when night falls."

* * *

_6:00 PM..._

_Hibari was standing in a field of grass that was greener than possible, with beautiful ripples passing through with the wind. Flawless trees adorned the place in all the right spots, and then, beyond all of it, was a gorgeous lake, shimmering with sunlight, even though wherever Hibari looked, he couldn't find the sun. He trotted through the grasses, his head barely peering above it, and he walked up to the lake, mesmerized by the beautiful sky-blue shading. Wherever he was... was it heaven?_

"Kyouya."

_That voice was the most realistic and sweet thing Hibari could hear in this world. It was gorgeous and deep, vibrating like the strings of some wonderful instrument, yet smooth like silk. The cat was intruiged by its beauty._

_Hibari turned, to see Mukuro, dressed in a white button-up shirt and blue jeans, his smile as warm and welcoming as it had ever been. Hibari walked, then ran up to him, before giving a huge leap, jumping right up into the illusionist's arms. "Mukuro!" he purred. "Oh, you wouldn't believe my dream!"_

"Kyouya, _this_ is your dream. Where are you?"

_"Huh?"_

"I found out that Chikusa took you somewhere, but I don't know where. I'm certain it's the same place our last little pet was lost to. Where are you?"

_"I'm in some sort of kennel, but I don't know what it's called."_

"Kennel? Man, Kyouya, I hope you look good," _Mukuro said, his face becoming shadowed with concern as he sat down on the ground, cradling the ravenette in his arms._ "Kennels nowadays aren't very nice with rough-and-tough cats."

_"I know. But listen, Belphegor is here!"_

"Huh? Prince the Ripper is working in the kennel? Oh, my, we need to get you-"

_"No, he's a cat, too!"_

"... Blonde?"

_"Yes!" Hibari stressed, reaching his paws up and putting them over the illusionist's shoulders. "I'm so glad you're here."_

"It's a dream, Kyouya. If you ever find out the name of this place, you tell me. In the mean time, I'll search for black cats in the various kennels. Wait for me. I'll save you."

_I'll save you._

_I'll... sa... y..._

_I l..ve y..._

_K...ya..._

"Hibari~." The ravenette slowly woke up, to find Belphegor continuously prodding his cheek with a large paw. He slowly stood, and looked outside, his eyes adjusting until he could see bloodshot, amber cat eyes and a ragged, black silhouette of a cat.

"Who...?"

"It's Xanxus," Bel said, skipping over to the cage. "Did you bring any good food for us, Xanxus?"

"Yeah," meowed the other, and the smell of something dead hit Hibari. He slowly stepped back, before blinking in confusion as the alleged 'Xanxus' passed a dead mouse through the cage.

"Woo!" Bel cheered. "Sorry, Hibari, may I keep this one to myself?" he asked, not giving the cat time to answer before he snapped the small animal up. Hibari's whiskers quivered in repulsion, and he winced.

"Do you...," he began, turning to the ragged tom cat before them. "Do you have any fish?" The other's bloodshot eyes widened slightly, before he hung his head, and made a sound similar to a laugh. "Fish, huh?" he chuckled. "Hey, everyone! The new kit wants fish!" The unusual laughter rang out in the building between all of the cats, and Hibari felt his face heating with shame and humiliation. "What a joke!" the cat pressed, before he got up close to the cage. "Look here, you little helpless stray. I'm the boss around here," he hissed. "I belong to the man who holds your life in his hands. Tell you what. To show you I'm a good tom, I'll give you a sparrow. But nothing more, all right, kit? Don't be greedy." Hibari gulped as a mangled sparrow was passed to him.

"I don't want that," he stated.

"Oh? First you're greedy, now you're ungrateful, huh?" the other answered. "Well, we'll just see how long you can hold that will. That's all you're going to get this week, kit!" With that, the black cat stalked away, and Hibari glared, infuriated. So there were herbivores even among cats? Well, one thing was certain.

Before long, that guy was so going to get bitten.

**-End Chapter**

* * *

Hehe~ There we are! Not a lot of reviews last week, huh? I thought exams were over, tsk tsk!

Please Review!


	9. Adopted into Freedom

**Kitten Love**

**Chapter 9**

* * *

"Everyone! Someone's here to adopt!" yowled a voice that Hibari didn't recognize. "Look your cutest!"

"Ushishishishi~ an adoption day," Belphegor snickered. "Really. It sucks. All of the dumb humans come in and judge us. Don't fight back. The last guy to fight back was put down."

Hibari's eyes snapped open at the phrase 'put down.' He slowly sat up, and meowed, "Put down? As in..."

"Put to sleep. Put to death," Bel muttered. "Don't worry. All you have to do is look cute. Seriously. Getting a home is your goal."

"Why is that?" Hibari mewed. "Isn't that the opposite of what we should want?"

"No. If you get a home, you can probably find a way to escape," Bel murmured, lying down. "Just work towards finding a way." Hibari paused. He most certainly did not want to go home with some dumb herbivores, or any elderly couple. In fact, a large part of his heart wanted to return home to Fran and Mukuro.

Hibari reached up, placing both paws against the chain link fence, and giving an empty, sad meow. 'Mukuro,' he thought, _'if you can hear me... please help me...'_

"Well, here in Nekohaji Kennel, we keep our cats well fed and cared for," came the voice of a man. "If you have intrest in any of them, let us know and we'll take them into another room so you can get acquainted."

Hearing the voice, Hibari stood upright. _'Nekohaji Kennel?' _he thought aloud._ 'That's it! I need to tell Mukuro... quickly...!'_

"Mama, look," said a child's voice. Hibari bristled as he glanced to see the finger pointing into his little cell with Belphegor. The prince purred, sitting down and starting to groom himself.

"Wise child. The prince awaits you with open arms~," the cat cooed, before snickering, "well, just about."

"Oh, these two are quite cute," said an older woman. Hibari observed the two, the mother with wavy, dark brown hair and eyes, and her son with blue eyes and brown hair. He could tell easily that they were kind people, and he hated that.

_I want out._

"Oh, they were both donated to us by the same person," said the man who worked with the kennel. "The two might be brothers. Who knows how close they are?"

"Can we take both of them?" asked the young boy.

"Oh, no, we can only choose one," the mother answered. "But let's see them both in that room, all right?"

"Certainly."

The door clicked, and as it slid open, Hibari dashed out of the containment. He found himself in a hall filled with cells with cats behind bars, and locked doors on either end of the hall. He was soon swept up into the man's arm, and he choked out a protesting meow as he was uncomfortably held by a single arm around his waist.

"Don't fight," Bel mewed, going limp in the hold. Hibari glanced at him, then slowly followed suit, closing his eyes.

* * *

_I'll save you._

_I..._ DING... _you_.

_Ky_-DING-_ya._

DING DING. DING DING DING...

* * *

Hibari's eyes flashed back open, and he fonud himself inside a room filled with cat toys and beds. He had been lying on the ground, so he shuffled up to his feet, to see Belphegor batting away an annoying bell that was annoyingly loud. "Bel?" he mewed. The princely cat glanced at him.

"I've got the upper paw, Kyouya. These two are definitely going to take me."

"Humph. I could care less," Hibari answered, turning away. "There are only two humans on the planet that can take me."

Suddenly, the ringing moved closer. A tickling sensation started at his paws. "Stop... what?" he growled. He looked down, and watched as a tiny feather began to quiver and sweep back and forth. He swallowed, trying to resist the urge to snatch it, but eventually, he couldn't help himself. He stepped on the thing, and it just slipped out of his grip again. The black feline was immediately hooked. He attacked the feather, twisting and turning as it fluttered around him, angered by the persistant ringing of the bell attached.

_Kyouya..._

_Kyouya, I'm going to save you..._

_Because I..._

* * *

_Kokuyo Land, 10:00 AM..._

"Fran, we need to have a talk," Mukuro said, setting his apprentice down on the couch. "Listen, I've figured it out. It's all you."

"Huh...?" Fran murmured.

"You're using real illusions, and it needs to stop," the older answered. "Kyouya and Belphegor are both suffering lives as cats because of YOUR fantasies."

"... I'm sorry... I didn't know...," Fran murmured. He almost felt something snap inside of him, and he closed his eyes, tightly clutching his pant legs as he mumbled, "I'll stop."

* * *

_Meanwhile_...

Hibari and Belphegor continued to play with the cat toys, completely unaware of their changes. Hibari rolled over, easily prying the toy from the human's hands, and purring as he gripped it in his teeth. Finally, he realized what was off. He dropped the feather, sitting upright, and he looked at his hands. For some reason, they had turned back into human hands, even though the nails were longer and almost like claws. The prefect bit his lip, and turned. He was stunned to see in full color again, and even more suprised to see that Belphegor still hadn't noticed that he'd reverted to his human form. At least the both of them were clothed in their normal attire. But it was then that he caught sight of the protrusion from Belphegor's lower back.

The tail and cat ears remained.

"What... what is this?" the woman cried, stunned. "What kind of sick joke is this? Come now, Takashi, let's go, quick."

Belphegor stared after the two, grinning widely. "Ushishi~? Where are the commoners going?"

Hibari slowly rose to his feet. "Looks like you've been a cat for much too long, Bel," he muttered. "I'm leaving. This tail better not be permanent," he growled as he glanced at the swaying, black appendage.

Belphegor at last noticed his form, and also moved up to his feet, before walking out of the Kennel with Hibari, leaving the workers inside confused beyond belief.

"Ushishishishi~! The prince's got a tail!" Bel giggled as they walked down the streets, ears forward.  
"Keep quiet," Hibari muttered. "This would be really weird for anyone who saw us." As the prefect noted it, he kept his tail down in an attempt to blend it into his dark trousers. "Fran must have broke the illusion."

"Ushishi~ Not completely," the prince continued to laugh. "I'm going to part with you here, Kyoya. Need to get back with my team, you know? Lussuria's probably going to freak when he sees these," he said, indicating to his cat ears. Hibari nodded, and the two parted ways.

As Hibari was walking, he came upon a street that he knew. Night was beginning to fall. But as Hibari looked up at the moon, he could only think of one thing.

_I wish I was still..._

And, without even knowing it, he retrogressed into his feline form once more.

**-End Chapter**

* * *

I needed to seriously reward all of you for the many reviews! I appreciate it big time! That's why I've decided to post a fair number of uploads this week, and I hope you aren't too mad for last week! X'D

Please Review!


	10. Saved at Last

**Kitten Love**

**Chapter 10**

* * *

Hibari sat down in an alley, huffing tiredly as he looked at his paws. "Why...?" he wondered aloud. "Am I some sort of werecat now, or what?"

"Hehe, hey, boys, that looks like one of ours," came a raspy voice. Hibari looked to his side, to see a number of cats poking around in the garabage. One of which was staring at him evilly. "He's one of the pretty boys. Wants himself a fish," said the scuffy, black male. "Remember me, kit?"

Hibari swallowed. "You're... Xanxus?" he wondered aloud.

"That's right," purred the other. "Or at least that's what that Bel calls me. You've crossed my path at the wrong time, little kit."

The black feline took a couple steps back, but before he knew it, cats were on him, attacking him. He yowled as they clawed out his fur and nicked his ear, stunned by their power over him. But he eventually managed to throw them off with a powerful kick of his hind paws, and he ran. He ran straight out of the alley, then gasped as the black roads were lit by the headlights of a car. He leapt back just before a car passed in front of him, then found himself running across the rest of the street, panting softly as he reached the other end. He leaned against a growing tree, his fur standing straight up as he looked back across the street. Thankfully, the other cats didn't cross the street after him. He was safe, for now.

"Midori tanamiku, Namimori no! Dainaku shounaku, nami ga ii!" came the pretty voice of a bird. The black feline looked up, to see Hibird flying down, a box held in its tiny claws. The cat allowed Hibird to slip the Vongola ring on to his tail, then sighed as it lit up with weak purple flames.

_Weak,_ because he was scared.

At last starting to catch his breath, the cat opened Roll's box, and nuzzled against the hedgehog as it materialized. "Oh, Roll," he murmured. "I'm so glad to see you."

The hedgehog's black eyes widened slightly as he looked at the cat, and he mumbled, "Master? Are you all right?" Hibari reached a paw up, and touched his nose, to find that the stinging in it had been caused by a few claws that had hit his face.

"I'm fine," he lied. "It was just a scrap. But I showed them who's boss." Roll more or less smiled, and he and Hibari started on a search for a place to rest, flanking each other.

The two were in luck to come across a stack of newspapers. "Ugh... I guess I can just... hm...," Hibari wondered. He took the string binding the papers together, and snapped it with his teeth, before spilling the papers out into a comfortable pile. He lied down it, only to find that it wasn't very comfortable. He closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

* * *

"Nn... ugh...," came a tired grunt as Kyoya woke up the next morning. He sat upright, and frowned as he found himself in a human form, but still keeping the ears and tail. "Uff... that was the worst night I've ever had...," he thought aloud. He swept his tail close, then, seeing the ring that was still slipped on to it, he waved the cat-like appendage back and forth. "I guess it's not all bad," he murmured. He brushed his fingers down the long tail, feeling the silky fur, and blushing at the new sensation. "I suppose... if I had to... I could live with this."

"Kyu... kyu..." Hibari glanced to his side, to see Roll nuzzling into him. The hedgehog was cute as always, but Hibari was naturally disappointed that the voice had been lost to squeaks.

"It's okay, Roll," he sighed. "Let's go."

As soon as the ravenette stood back up, he was suddenly taken into an embrace from behind, and he blushed. "Hibari...," came a gentle voice. "Oh, thank pineapples you're safe..." The prefect looked over his shoulder, to just barely see Fran with his face buried in the other's back.

"Fran...," he murmured. "You found me?"

"We both found you, fortunately," came another voice. Hibari completely turned around, placing his clawed hands on Fran's shoulders, and he gave a genuine smile as he saw Mukuro.

"Wow, I'm so happy to see you two again," Hibari murmured, taking Fran into a tighter hug.

"Ow, Hibari, what's with the claws?" the young illusionist protested.

"That, I'm sure," Mukuro began, sombering over to the two, "would be entirely your fault, Fran. Would you like me to fix you up, Kyoya? Get rid of those little cat parts?"

"No, no, that's all right," Hibari murmured, reaching up and stroking his own cat ears. "After all, I'm still Fran's kitten, right?" he murmured, looking down at the teal-haired male and smirking.

"That's really creepy," Fran mumbled, before glancing at Mukuro. Seeing the expression that burned with jealousy beneath his smile, he decided that he liked the idea. He nuzzled into Hibari's collarbone, and cooed, "But it sure is true."

Hibari chuckled, and in reply, whispered, _"Meow."_

"Good Hibari," Fran answered.

"All right, you two, seriously," Mukuro muttered, striding forward and taking Hibari by the shoulders. He led the other back to an illusionary car, which was parked against the sidewalk. He guided Hibari into the passenger seat, therefore forcing Fran into the back. "Kyouya, are you really all right with all of this?" Mukuro asked as he slid into the driver's seat. "I mean, I told Fran to stop with these stupid illusions, and yet-"

"It's okay," Hibari insisted. "By the looks of it, these little additions only make me stronger. I'm a bit more flexible, too, I think," the prefect mused. He reached over, and touched the blue-haired man's shoulder, smiling. "Do these ears make you uncomfortable?" he teased, his cat ears flicking towards Mukuro.

"Yes, actually, a little," Mukuro sighed. "Just... seeing you like that is hard for me, Kyouya." Hibari sat back, curling his tail close to him, and he listened intently as the illusionist continued, "I see that nick taken out of one of those ears, and I see that scratch on your nose. As a cat, you're vulnerable to your own kind. Who's to say this hasn't made you weaker?"

Hibari was taken back by Mukuro's words. He hadn't considered it, but he supposed that it made sense. "I can hear much better, and I can use this tail to open boxes behind my back," he argued.

"Hm...," Mukuro hummed as they slowed at a red light. He turned towards the prefect, and reached out, before clapping his hands together. Hibari's cat ears lied flat, and he flinched immediately.

"That was mean, Master!" Fran droned.

"Is sharp hearing such a good thing? What if guns are going off?" Mukuro said as they began to drive again. "You'll be powerless."

"Will not," Hibari said, once more raising the ears. "I'll keep them flat and I won't hear it as much."

"You're never going to watch fireworks again," the older illusionist mumbled.

Hibari sighed, and lied back in his seat. "Sorry. I haven't had much of a rest today," he murmured, before closing his eyes.

**-End Chapter**

* * *

Please keep reviewing! You people are great. :D I haven't been reviewed like this since the 'A Royal-' series. :) Keep up the awesomeness, everyone! *tosses cookies*


	11. Finally Back

**Kitten Love**

**Chapter 11**

* * *

"Kyouya...," came Mukuro's soft voice. "Oh, Kyouya, wake up..."

"Mm...," the prefect groaned in protest. "Mukuro... ugh..." The ravenette soon felt something covering his mouth, and he slowly opened his eyes, before snapping awake as he saw that the other illusionist was kissing him. Immediately, Hibari shoved the blue-haired male back, gasping dramatically for air. "Mukuro!" he protested. "How could you?"

"You weren't waking up," the illusionist casually replied. "We're back home." Hibari glanced up at the Kokuyo building, yawned, and shook his head.

"I'm going back to Nami middle...," he murmured, stepping out of the car. "I don't wanna stay..."

"You don't want to stay with me, Hibari?" came a cute voice from behind the prefect. Hibari turned to see Fran, and he smiled.

"Of course I do," he whispered, coming down and embracing the younger man. "But I have something greater than sushi back at Namimori."

"Fufufufufu~ The school?" Mukuro chuckled. "You're so amusing, Kyouya." Hibari glanced back at the pineapple, and sighed.

"Thanks for the so-called help, you two, but... I'm going now," he sighed, before starting to walk away, his black tail swishing back and forth. Mukuro and Fran stared after him for a few moments, when Fran was the first to turn and walk away.

"Fran?" the older illusionist called, confused.

"I'm fine," Fran answered in monotone. "He's given me his answer."

Mukuro paused, and looked back towards where the former feline had vanished, and he sighed sadly. "But this is not closure enough to me," he whispered.

* * *

_Namimori Middle School..._

Hibari walked into Nami Chu with chin and tail held high. "I'm back," he hissed to everyone he passed. It was lunchtime, and the prefect wanted to sleep. And so, he made his way out onto the roof. There, he wasn't suprised to see Tsunayoshi, Gokudera, and Yamamoto. "Hey, move it," he growled. "Move or I'll bite you to death."

"Wha- Hibari-san!" Tsuna exclaimed. "You're back to... normal...?"

"What's with the ears, freak?" Gokudera snarled. Hibari glared at him, and reached into his coat, smirking when he felt his tonfas.

It was time to make things right again.

* * *

Hours later, Hibari lied on the rooftop, asleep. He was enjoying himself again. It felt so right to be at least ninety percent human. So right to be bipedal. So right to not be covered in fur. And so right to not feel like he was constantly being bitten by fleas. But as he lied there, asleep, he felt a twinge of something being off. It was in his dreams that he felt this... as he left unconciousness, he found himself in a field of beautiful grass.

_Kyouya._

Hibari stood up a little straighter, feeling his cheeks turn red as he murmured, "Mukuro?"

_Kyouya, over here..._

The ravenette turned towards the noise, his cat ears pivoting, when the voice came again from behind him.

_Over here..._

_No, here..._

_Kyouya..._

After spending a dizzying four minutes whirling about towards the voice of Mukuro, Hibari at last sat down, panting slightly. "Mukuro," he groaned. "Please..." He closed his eyes for a few moments as he regained his senses completely, and when he opened them once more, Mukuro was before him, kneeling, a hand extended.

_Kyouya_.

"Mukuro...," Hibari sighed in relief. He took the hand in his own, and allowed the illusionist to pull him up to his feet. "Jeez, was it so neccessary to play with me like that?" the cat sighed, his tail dancing in the air as he came a little closer. He nuzzled against the illusionist, smiling contentedly. "You know... I do miss feeling your warmth. You were always so warm... and you always smelled really good for some reason..." The illusionist sighed, and took the cat-eared male into a warm embrace.

"I love you, Kyouya," he murmured. "I love you so much." Hibari didn't entirely hear the words, nor did he grasp the meaning in his dream.

"Ahh... so warm...," he purred, wrapping his arms around Mukuro's waist and kneading at the illusionist's shirt. He felt a vibration in his throat, and he allowed it, barely concious of the fact that he was purring.

"Kyoya."

"Kyoya!"

"Kyoya, wake up!"

Hibari's eyes drowsily opened, and he yawned, stretching his forearms up, when he realized that his hands were pressing into something. And then, he realized that he was placed in an awkward position, with his upper body lying sprawled over someone's lap. He hissed, backing up, and his ears flattened when he saw Dino. "What was that, herbivore?" he growled dangerously.

"Well gosh, Kyoya," Dino defended, "you just crawled right up into my lap after I sat down beside you. Frankly, I could ask you the same." Hibari paused, taken aback, when the blonde began to laugh. "Got you! Hahaha! Don't worry, I'm not mad. But what's up with your ears? And the tail?" The ravenette flushed red with humiliation, and immediately went for his tonfas, before scrambling to his feet and getting in a fighting stance.

"Nevermind that," he growled. "Let's fight."

"Guess that can't be helped," Dino sighed. "All right! Let's go!" The blonde equipped his whip, and gave it a sort of practice swing, creating the loud crack that made Hibari flinch. Dino didn't notice, however, and he started running at the prefect, who was immobilized by the sound. Hibari yelped as he was send to the ground and whipped several times, covering his ears as he curled into a ball.

"Stop," he mewed.

"Huh? Kyoya, are you all right?" Dino murmured, crouching down. "Kyoya?"

"Kufufufufufu... back off of him, Bronco," growled a deep voice that soothed Hibari's ringing head. "Kyouya, I warned you..." Hibari watched as a thick mist materialized before them into Mukuro Rokudo, and he sighed, releasing his hold on his dark ears. "But I won't say I told you so. Come close," Mukuro breathed, placing a hand on Hibari's shoulder. The cat slowly eased into Mukuro, trembling a little from the fear that had suddenly struck through him. "Leave," Mukuro ordered the blonde who continued to stare at the two, confused. Dino left. The illusionist then tilted Hibari's head up, and whispered, "Kyoya, say right now that you love me. Please say it."

"What? But why would I...," Hibari drifted off, seeing the unmasked sadness that shone in the illusionist's gaze. The mismatched eyes were filled with betrayal in that moment, and it hurt the ravenette to even glance at it. "Mukuro?"

"Is it Fran?" Mukuro murmured.

"Huh?"

"Do you want Fran?" the illusionist clarified, and Hibari watched as the other masked his emotions once more.

"What do you mean?" the prefect whispered. "I don't feel that way for Fran. I think he's a cute kid, but it's not like I love him."

"Then why...?" the other rasped. Hibari took a moment to think, looking into the masked expression, and he sighed, before placing his head down on Mukuro's shoulder.

"Hear me out?" he murmured.

"Of course," Mukuro whispered, and the ravenette could feel his body relax completely in the illusionist's following embrace.

"Your aura towards animals is very soothing, and I've been calmed by it, too. It's pleasant, warm, and kind when you're interacting with animals. I don't know why I never saw this before. I feel at ease when I'm this close to you, but at larger distances, I've very often been scared. I don't know what I feel for you right now because my emotions around you keep changing."

Mukuro smiled, and held the prefect closer, before turning Hibari's face back towards him. "Do you think a kiss could clarify things?" he murmured, just a trace of begging in his expression.

The ravenette wasn't sure if he wanted to, but something inside him needed to. It was as if he was trying to confirm his feelings for Mukuro as something big, as if he wanted to be lovers with the pineapple. And so, he leaned in, and he met their lips together. It was a weird feeling from the very beginning. He felt odd, almost as if paralyzed. He could hardly even feel the contact of their mouths.

_Huh...? Something's not right,_ he thought. He tried to move, but found himself stuck.

"Kyouya...? ... Kyouya!" came Mukuro's frantic voice. Hibari sighed. He couldn't see anything. "Oh, man!"

_Mukuro, what's going on?_ Hibari inwardly groaned.

"I've turned you into a pineapple!"

**!**

Hibari was soon changed back to normal, and although he was irritated with his illusionist for a while, he admitted to having feelings for Mukuro. Since he wouldn't ever part with Namimori again, however, the Mist was forced to transfer to Namimori, a development which Hibari greatly appreciated. The two of them lived happily for years to come, no matter what weird illusions were cast.

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

"Oh, boss, just look at this adorable little cat I saw sleeping outside!" Lussuria squealed, holding the long-furred, blonde cat out towards his boss.

"Nya...," came the quiet meow.

"Can we keep him? Please?" Lussuria gushed, hugging the cat close.

"Arg! Don't squeeze the prince!" the blonde protested, but naturally, the other Varia couldn't understand him.

"Sure, but you're in charge of feeding him," Xanxus muttered, before waving Luss away. The Sun guardian smiled widely, and gave an enthusiastic nod.

And so, the Varia got their first pet.

**-Owari.**

* * *

o.o I don't know where that came from, really. I think it's time for those hate reviews?

Please Review!


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